The Good News Journal, Volume XXXIV: The Sensei Sean all Sunday Edition – Cause and Effect; Forcing the King’s Hand

Thank You for joining Me for a very Special Edition of The Good News Journal, it has been an incredibly exciting week!!! This Sensei-Sean all Sunday Special Edition Will recap the events of the week which begins with My Friend finally receiving Keys to his Kingdom and ends with an eviction notice from the Salvation Army for Me. I Promise it Will be a Sensational Sunday!!!

I already told You about the Magic of Monday, and Tuesday was just as Terrific. My Friend has had a housing worker working with him to find him an apartment for roughly four months now. He’d had two previous offers and was confident he would be in his own space, only to have them fall through the day he was scheduled to sign a lease. Needless to say he was becoming a little discouraged and as King of Me not to say a Word about his Good News until the Keys are in his Hand. Tuesday was that day!

Tuesday afternoon I had the opportunity to be a Part of some Good News as I helped My Friend to move the last of his belongings from the Salvation Army into his new apartment. Needless to say, it was a wonderful day, and his apartment is perfect. It is a clean, spacious and bright one bedroom. Nothing fancy, but comfortable; what One might call dignified. My Friend is also the only One still in My microcosm that has been there from the time We met to the time he found a place. He is essentially the only man who has been My Friend the entire time I have stayed at the Salvation Army, and it was truly wonderful to see him accomplish Part of his Dream.

Lucky Wednesday was wonderful, too, though it was also very busy. My Friend also had a storage container full of stuff from his old apartment and I had agreed to help him move. I gave My Self lots of time to get there, but Caroline Hards, one of the housing/social service workers with the Salvation Army, Wished to speak with Me about something and as King of Me if We could talk in her office. I think it started with Caroline saying to Me, “So I guess You didn’t like Dan, things didn’t work out?”

I wasn’t really sure what to say because I was under the impression they had worked out, “No, I liked Dan, I was under the impression things had worked out.”

“But You’re not meeting with him anymore?”

“No. He gave Me exactly what it was I was as King of You for when I first came here, the information I need to send the application in My Self and deal with the city directly.”

“Yeah, but if You work with Dan You get a $500 subsidy that You can use to look for Your own place, did he tell You that?”

“No, he didn’t.”

“Well, now that opportunity is gone.”

“Why are We having this conversation, Caroline?”

“Well, Taylor and I have been talking and We want to do everything We can to help You get what You need to get into housing.”

“What I need is the difference between the amount given to Me by Ontario Works for shelter and the price of an average bachelor or one bedroom apartment in the city of Ottawa, essentially the difference between roughly $370 and $850.”

“But You just gave up $500 worth of subsidy.”

“Well if I qualify for it with Dan, then surely I qualify for it without him. Dan said something about needing a copy of My birth certificate for the application and told Dan I would send them a copy of My Cestui Que Vie, along with a letter clearly defining what I am as King to them for in the Way of subsidy. He told Me he feels I am more competent dealing with these matters than he is and respectfully gave Me control over My own affairs. I have no issue or complaint with Dan.”

“So what are You going to do now that the subsidy is gone?”

“Exactly what I just told You I was going to do. I’m going to Write a Letter to accompany My Cestui Que Vie but I haven’t had a chance yet, it’s not exactly easy to get work done around here. The lounge is almost always full and even when its not, the energy is pretty chaotic.”

“Well, You’ve been here a while now, it’s taking a long time.”

“Yes, it is taking a long time. But it was only just recently that Dan gave Me the information and like I said, it’s been hard to find a Good place to get any work done, so I’ve arranged to ‘rent’ some office space next month so I can get these things taken care of.”

“Well, we’re concerned with how long it might take.”

“Okay, if You like, I can put a Word in for You in My Letter, let the city know that You and Taylor are concerned with how long this has taken and that You are doing everything You can to support Me while I wait for the city to provide the subsidy I need to obtain dignified housing. I could probably have that done for Friday and I can show it to You before I send it.”

“Why don’t You just apply for the birth certificate?”

“Because it’s a contract, a citizen-Ship contract with Canada. I do not want to be a citizen of Canada, and I don’t believe I may be compelled to contract with Canada or anyone else against My Will.”

“But why not?”

“Because as a citizen of a country, the country determines the man’s rights. Does it seem fair that a man’s rights may be determined by where he is born? Should a man or does a man have more or less rights depending on the country he is in?”

“No, that’s something I’ve always had a problem with.”

“Me too. So I don’t want My rights to be limited to Canada’s Constitution.”

That was the only moment of the conversation where I felt I was actually connecting with Caroline on a serious and compassionate level. The rest of the conversation was about politely asking Me to leave, though she didn’t say it. She’d probably been asked to tell Me I was no longer welcome there but couldn’t bring herself to do it. It ended with an awkward smile and I rushed to meet My Friend.

I’m going to continue the Sensei Sean all Sunday Edition in a Part II, where I finish the Story of My Friend’s move before recapping the Thoroughly Thrilling events of Thursday.